According to the trademark filings, Apple has filed for new international classes in Europe and Hong Kong. The new international class is class 10 which apparently means that Apple has plans to use the headphones for more than just music, and that it could be used for health and fitness purposes, such as by including wellness sensors that will transmit biometric data of the wearer to a device like the iPhone.
Headphones that can also double as heart rate or O2 monitors aren’t exactly new, but given Apple’s interest and focus on health, we wouldn’t be surprised if they were to bring similar features to AirPods. It will also allow Apple to expand on their health offerings that go beyond the Apple Watch, which at the moment is the main device from Apple that focuses on health.
Whether or not these trademark filings are an indication that these features could be finding their way into the next-gen AirPods remains to be seen.